PORTLAND — A Sanford man who wore women’s clothes and a wig and told bank tellers he had a bomb was sentenced in federal court Friday to 15 years in federal prison and three years supervised release for robbing Kennebunk Savings Bank in Berwick Sept. 21, 2012. 

Michel D’Angelo, 35, who went by the nickname “Karma,” was sentenced by Judge Nancy Torreson at U.S. District Court in Portland.

Court documents show D’Angelo entered the bank wearing a women’s sweatsuit, a wig and sunglasses, and carrying a purse. He approached the teller counter and demanded cash, saying he had a bomb in his bag and that he would set it off if the teller pushed any buttons. He absconded with $1,298.25. 

According to federal prosecutors, D’Angelo was assisted by his girlfriend, Jennica Miller, who gave him her clothing and accessories, drove the getaway car, and placed a diversionary 911 emergency call to the Berwick police at the time of the robbery, claiming she had been stabbed by her boyfriend.

For her involvement, Miller pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the bank robbery Jan. 14. D’Angelo pleaded guilty Feb. 13.

According to a court affidavit submitted by FBI agent Thomas P. MacDonald, bank witnesses told authorities the person who robbed the bank wore a red sweatsuit and a wig of long, brown hair, but had a male voice. As well, the robber wore white surgical tape over the ring area of his finger to cover a “Real Deal” tattoo, and a pink scarf to conceal a large “Karma” tattoo on his neck.  

Surveillance photos showed a man running behind a building in the vicinity of the bank, which is close to the Somersworth, N.H. town line. 

At 11:58 a.m., one minute before the robbery, Berwick Police received a 911 call made from a cellphone from a woman who claimed she had just been stabbed by her boyfriend at Pine Hill Mobile Home Park. Officers responded and determined the call was unfounded. According to the affidavit, the latitude and longitude of the general area of where the call originated was charted, and was found to be near the bank. 

A confidential informant told police the cellphone number was used by a person known as Karma and identified a still photo taken from bank surveillance footage as Karma.

Two days after the robbery, a Somersworth homeowner found items that had been discarded outside their home that had been soaked in bleach, and police had earlier found a sweatsuit, jacket and pants, a checkered bra, a wig of long brown hair, a small pink tank top, a purse, bleach bottle and cap, washcloth with smeared makeup residue and more. 

D’Angelo and Miller were located in Middleborough, Mass. by FBI agents five days after the robbery. A search of the van they were driving turned up a new brown wig and a roll of white surgical tape.

Besides the FBI, taking part in the investigation were Berwick and Kittery police departments, and Middleborough and New Bedford, Mass. police departments. 

U.S. Attorney Thomas Delahanty praised the cooperation among the law enforcement agencies.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or [email protected].